


Ray of Light

by SilverKitsune



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, In which no one got scouted for i7, Iori's still a tsundere though, M/M, very brief mention of MitsuNagi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 00:58:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17777528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune/pseuds/SilverKitsune
Summary: Iori was just supposed to be filling in for Mitsuki in making the day's deliveries. Little did he know, Mitsuki might have had another idea in mind when he begged Iori to cover his delivery route that day ...An alternate universe where IDOLiSH7 never forms, but Iori still meets Riku anyway (thanks to Mitsuki).





	Ray of Light

**Author's Note:**

> So I was thinking "hey, what if Takanashi-papa didn't scout them for i7 but Iori and Riku met anyway?" and my immediate first thought was Iori making a fonte chocolat delivery to Riku in the hospital because Mitsuki set them up. And this is the result, lol. I might actually continue this into a series of connected short stories and include the others if I get more inspiration to keep going!

“Room 717, Nanase Riku,” Iori muttered under his breath as he searched for the room in the hospital wing. The wing was large, and the numbering system didn't quite seem to make sense, but after some wandering and directions from a helpful nurse, he finally found the room. He was about to knock on the door to open it, when he caught sight of the person inside through the window – a boy roughly his age, with a shock of bright red hair, styled with uneven bangs. A pair of matching red glasses perched on his face as he read his book; he turned the page, and Iori caught a glimpse of the gentle smile on the boy's face.

A nurse talking with a patient in a wheelchair moved by, shaking Iori out of his thoughts – he was here to make a delivery on behalf of fonte chocolat. It had been an idea Iori had come up with after doing some research into ways to expand fonte chocolat's customer base, and one that had been met with rousing success. Mitsuki in particular had taken to it like a fish to water, talking about how he enjoyed getting to meet new people and brighten their day with his deliveries.

“I have a delivery here from fonte chocolat for Nanase-san,” Iori announced as he entered the room.

The redhead perked up, a bright smile on his face, and in that very moment, Iori wondered if he should thank or curse his older brother when he returned to the shop.

When Mitsuki had all but begged Iori to do the deliveries that morning, Iori had assumed it was because Mitsuki was planning to go to another idol audition, or maybe even not-date with that handsome tall blonde foreign exchange college student he'd seen Mitsuki frequently talk to during the shop's slower hours. Now, though, now he was wondering if Mitsuki actually had an ulterior motive in mind, especially with his insistence that Iori follow the exact route Mitsuki had laid out for him.

“Hello Mi- eh? It's not Mitsuki today?” There was a hint of disappointment in his voice, even though he tried to cover it with a smile.

 _How cute, just like a puppy,_ Iori thought as he resisted the urge to bring his hand up, attempting to maintain some sense of professionalism.

“I'm sorry to disappoint you,” Iori said as he placed the food on the table.

A moment of awkward silence fell between them, and as Iori turned to leave, the other boy spoke up again, “I-if you don't mind, can you tell me your name? I'm Nanase Riku . . . but I guess you already know that from delivering my order.”

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Iori knew he should probably head back to the shop, but a simple self introduction and some idle conversation wouldn't hurt, right?

“I'm Izumi Iori. Nice to meet you,” Iori replied.

“Izumi- ah!” Riku exclaimed, genuinely smiling. “You must be Mitsuki's younger brother! He's told me so much about you!”

“Yes, he is,” Iori replied, bringing up his hand. Riku really was too cute with that smile on his face.

“Do you have some time? Mitsuki always talks to me when he drops off my order,” Riku's voice trailed off, before he added, “if-if it's not too much trouble, anyway.”

Iori sighed. No wonder his brother was so insistent about making his stops in this order. “I-it's fine. You were my last stop anyway.”

And as Riku cheerfully began to talk, Iori had to wonder if circumstances were different, whether Riku could have been an idol, maybe even a member in his brother's group.

* * *

Much later, as Iori started his trip back to the shop, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling out his phone, he saw he received a message via Rabbit Chat. Tapping the notification, he immediately saw a conveniently timed message Mitsuki.

 **Nii-san _:_** So Iori, how did the deliveries go? Did you get Riku's number?

Iori resisted the urge to twitch as Mitsuki followed up his message with a winking Kinako stamp. So there _had_ been an ulterior motive after all. And after all that talk from his older brother about not interfering with his life, no less.

 **Iori:** Nii-san, I don't know what you're talking about. I was there to make a delivery, not chat up a customer. I'm on my way back to the shop now.

Even if he did exchange Rabbit Chat handles with Riku, that is. And from the notice that flashed on top of the app, Riku must have wanted to continue their conversation from the hospital too.

 **Nii-san:** And that's why you're leaving now because you definitely didn't talk to him until visiting hours were over lololol

Iori resisted the urge to make a face at his phone – he was still wearing the shop's uniform after all, and it wouldn't do to give people a bad impression of the shop just because his older brother was teasing him over Rabbit Chat.

 **Nii-san:** I'll let mom and dad know you'll be home for dinner soon!

Three hours might have been a bit much, even Iori had to agree, but it seemed rude to leave when Riku was so happy to have someone to talk to. Plus it was clear he was a regular with how casually he'd referred to Mitsuki, and there was no way Iori could leave and potentially make a regular customer dissatisfied with his service, especially when he was just filling in for the afternoon.

And it absolutely, definitely wasn't because Iori had totally lost track of time while they were talking until the nurse came in to shoo him out because visiting hours were over.

And if he made plans to visit again next week, and this time, not because he had a delivery to make, it was because Riku had made an interesting book recommendation, and absolutely _not_ because Nanase Riku was simply the cutest boy Iori had ever laid eyes on.

**Author's Note:**

> And if you want to scream at me/see more i7 content, give me a nudge on Twitter! You can find me [@soymilkheaven](https://twitter.com/soymilkheaven)!


End file.
